Pressure is being put on the Government to compensate a Pembrokeshire man who spent five years in prison for sex crimes he did not commit.

Brian Buckle was wrongfully convicted in 2017 of 16 counts of rape and sexual assault.  A Court of Appeal quashed his conviction and at his retrial, a jury found him not guilty on all charges after just one hour’s deliberation.

But despite his exoneration, Brian Buckle has been denied financial compensation by the Ministry of Justice, claiming his case fails to prove ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that he did not commit the offences.

Now Brian’s family, with the support of his barrister Stephen Vullo KC, is calling for a fair compensation scheme to be implemented for his wrongful convictions.   A petition launched by his wife, Elaine, is calling for a parliamentary reform, and the petition has already been signed by over 38,000 people.

“My family sacrificed everything to clear my name,” said Brian Buckle.

“ My father-in-law sold his house to fund my legal fight and the emotional and financial toll has been devastating. My wife’s inheritance is gone, and the money spent on legal fees can never be recovered.

 “I lost a well-paying job I’d held for 16 years, I missed my daughter’s 18th and 21st birthdays and I missed irreplaceable moments with my family.

“Now I’m living with PTSD, and even though I’m a free man, the trauma of those five years will never fully leave me.

“I don’t want millions – I just want recognition of the injustice I suffered and the chance to rebuild my life.”

The total amount spent by Brian Buckle’s family to clear his name stands at £500,000  This is equal to the total amount of compensation that Brian was able to apply for. A letter from the Ministry of Justice arrived almost a year after he first submitted his application and the assessor, who had never spoken to Brian or his legal team, concluded he wasn’t eligible for a pay-out because there was insufficient proof that he had hadn’t carried out the offences.

“What do I need to do to prove that I’m an innocent person?” says Brian. “I’ve lost five years of my life, my job, my pension. People are absolutely gobsmacked when you tell them I’ve been refused compensation.”

In a previous BBC statement, The Ministry of Justice said  it acknowledges the ‘grave impact of miscarriages of justice’ and is ‘committed to supporting individuals in rebuilding their lives’.

For hundreds of years it has been accepted that someone is presumed innocent until a court of law finds them guilty, however, following a small but significant law change in 2014, if a victim of a miscarriage of justice in England and Wales wants to receive compensation, they must not only be cleared, but also demonstrate they are innocent.  But according to Stephen Vullo KC, this reverses the burden of proof and says this is ‘an almost impossibly high hurdle over which very few people can jump’.

Mr Vullo believes the legislation change was designed so that money would not be paid out. “It’s not by accident, it’s by design,” he says.

Government figures show that around 93% of  compensation applications have been rejected by the Ministry of Justice since 2016.

Brian, who lives in Fishguard, is being politically supported by his MP Ben Lake, who said he was ‘appalled’ after hearing about his case.

“Sadly, miscarriages of justice happen,” he said.  “They always have and they always will.

 “But when we have a situation where an individual has been incarcerated for whatever reason for incorrect evidence or incorrect judgements, we should ensure that they are compensated for that.”

Mr Lake said that any law change should be made retrospectively, enabling the Buckle family to benefit.

Meanwhile Brian Buckle continues his battle to pick up the pieces following his wrongful term in prison.

“I will take what happened to me to the grave,” he said. “Money is not going to change how I am mentally, but it’s the principle of the justice system admitting that they got it wrong.”

Brian Buckle’s petition can be signed on this link

Wales’ largest building society – The Principality – is celebrating its 165th year birthday in style after announcing its commitment to maintaining its high street and community presence until at least the end of 2030.

Announced as part of the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) last week, Principality confirmed its intention to  extend its commitment to the communities it serves, recognising the importance of a high-street presence, access to cash and in-person services. 

First established in Cardiff in 1860, Principality continues to provide a community cornerstone with over 50 branches and 14 agencies across Wales and its borders, partnering with charities and funding affordable home initiatives along with its financial services.  Pembrokeshire is served with two branches based in Fishguard and Haverfordwest.

Principality’s own research reveals more than 70% of people agree that branch presence is a key factor in deciding which financial provider to choose. This comes against a backdrop of branch closure announcements from providers across the UK and wider markets.

“All our branches have played an integral role in supporting their local communities, and today’s announcement means that our members can continue to access essential in-person services for years to come as we maintain our presence in the community,” commented Vicky Wales,who is the chief customer officer at Principality Building Society.

Principality’s continued commitment to local communities is further demonstrated by its recent partnership with shared banking innovator OneBanx to bring cash services to rural areas affected by bank closures. 

“As more financial institutions announce branch closures, we remain focused on supporting our members and the local community with vital financial services,” said Kelly Young, who is head of customer services savings.

“We know that access to cash and our extensive branch presence enables us to provide the services that our members rely on.”

A MILFORD HAVEN man is due to appear in court on Monday (Apr 15) charged under a rarely used and centuries-old law after allegedly being found on the premises of Haverfordwest Job Centre “for an unlawful purpose”.

Christian Teeley, aged 21, of Gelliswick Road, Hakin, faces a charge of being found in or upon enclosed premises, contrary to Section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824.

The incident took place on September 18, 2024, when Teeley was allegedly discovered inside the Job Centre building in Haverfordwest for the purpose of causing criminal damage.

The charge — a so-called “vagrancy offence” — carries a maximum penalty of three months in prison and/or a Level 3 fine.

The Vagrancy Act, which was introduced in 1824 to deal with soldiers returning from the Napoleonic Wars, has faced widespread criticism in recent years for criminalising homelessness and poverty. Despite being repealed in Scotland and Northern Ireland, it remains in force in England and Wales.

Homelessness charity Crisis says more than 1,000 days have passed since the UK Government first pledged to scrap the law — but it still remains on the books. The charity has warned that people are still being prosecuted for simply being in a public place, with penalties of up to £1,000.

The Herald understands that the case could attract national attention from campaigners who are calling for the Act’s final repeal.